Sliding window sash holder



1952 H. SCHWARTZMANN SLIDING WINDOW SASH HOLDER Fiiea Aug. 2, 1949 INVENTOR ATTORNEY mm \T E V \|ll Patented Oct. 21, 1 952 UNITED STATES "P ATENT-HOFFICE SLIDING wiNnow sissn, HOLDER Harry SchWartzmann, New York, N. Y;

Application August 2, 1949, Serial No. 8,13,' 7

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to sliding window sash holders, i. e., toQd'evices for use in connection with any more or less conventional sliding window sash to take the place and perform the functionof the customary counter-weight and pulley for holding the sash in predetermined positions of vertical adjustment.

[More particularly, the present invention provides a small and inexpensive device which can ,be readily installed in fully concealed position on the sash, or on the frame if desired, and which will securely hold the sash in any position of vertical adjustment without requiringany unlocking, unlatching or other .manipulation for 'release to permit, movementfof the sash to a new position. A principal object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which will operateto hold the sash by frictional en-- A I M 7 is retracted toward the base element to degagement between the sash and frame.

A further important object is to provide the device with a simple mechanism which will release or relieve the holding friction automatically as movement of the sash to a new position is initiated, so that lowering the sash and elevating it will not require overcoming the full frictional force or value which is used in holding it,

Other objects are to provide a device of the character indicated which can be constructed of a few inexpensive parts combined in an assembly of very small size which can be readily installed so as to be entirely hidden in operative position and which will be thoroughly durable, foolproof and dependable in operation. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart from the accompanying drawing and the following description thereof, in which a preferred embodiment is disclosed.

In the accompanying drawing, 7

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one corner of a conventional type of sliding window sash and the cooperating window frame, partly broken away to show in sideelevation the preferredembodiment of the device which forms the subject of the present application; j

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on a larger scale taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the device.

As has been explained, the device provided by the invention is adapted to'be usedas a substitute for the familiar counterweight which is customa'rily carried at the'end of a sash cord which is trained over a pulley journaled in the top of the window frame and which balances the sash so as to support it in predetermined positions of 5 vertical adjustment. ,The invention substitutes frictional force for counterbalancing, which substitution has been heretofore provided in the art, but the invention is distinguished from all prior art devices with which I am acquainted by reason of the fact that ,it is operative automatically on, the initiation of verticalmovement of :the sash toreleas'e or relieve the holding friction so thatthe unbalanced sash can be lowered orraised with a minimum of applied force. To

this end. the device includes a noveltype of coupling' by which a friction shoe is mounted in a base element in such a way that the shoe is normally pressed-outwardly from the base element to provide a high degree of holding friction but crease the frictionalfforce automatically at the beginning of the movement of the sash in an up or down direction.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference numeral l designates a window sash mounted for vertical sliding movement in a frame 2.. The sash includes side rails 3, and the frame includesa partingstrip 4 which cooperates with a frame base 5 and a closing strip which isnot shown but which is mounted parallel to the parting strip to provide a channel runway in which the side rail 3; of the sash is vertically slidable. Either the sash member or the frame member isfpbcketed to provide a recessed mounting space for the device which forms the subject of the present invention, I prefer to mount the devicein a recess formed in the sash member, so that itwill move with the sash member and willbear frictionally against the bottom 5 of the 0 frame member channel, but it will be understood that this specific mounting is simply the preferred form and'thatin some cases the arrangement can be reversed and the device mounted in the: frame member forbearmg against the side rail of] the sash member. Injthe case of some weatherstripped windows it may be found desirable to form the devicereceivingpocket in the base 5 of the frame memberfor in the strip 4or cooperating closingstrip 5 of the frame member or in the front or rear surface of the side rail of the sash member, ,in- ,stead ofin' the side edge thereof as shown in the drawing, in order to avoid interference with the Weatherstripping rib and groove. It is to'be understood that theprecise mounting position of the device forms no essential part of the invention.

The device comprises a base element 6, best made of stamped sheet metal of relatively heavy gauge, having a bottom 1 and integral upturned flanges or side walls 8, so that the base is substantially channel-shaped. The base is afiixed permanently in the recess, here shown at 9 in the side edge of the side rail 3 of thesash memher, in any convenient manner, as by drillinga pair of holes in the bottom 1 for the reception of wood screws Ill.

Spring means, which by way of example may be a leaf spring II, is mounted in the base "as by riveting, soldering or spot welding the central portion of the spring to the middle of the bottom of 'the base so that two legs of the spring will extend obliquely out toward the lips of the base channel and yieldably urge outwardly the friction shoe which is coupled to the base and will now be described. 4 v p V I This friction shoe, designated l2, eomprisesfa generally channel "shaped element which can be made as a heavy gauge sheet metal stamping-so that it includes afriction face [3 having {rearwardly directed "from its sideedges a pair of flanges or walls f4, each "of which is perforated at I5 to mount a "pin Q15 :in permanently fixed position with it's ends protruding'slig htly from the planes of the side walls 14. The shoe is applied by nesting it in the base, over "the endsof the spring H, with the side walls 14 lying close to and parallel with the Side walls 8 f the base, between these latter side wallsand the side edges of the spring H. Thepin 16 is then driven through enlarged openings 11 provided in the base side walls 8, and through the holes I in the side walls of the shoe, s'o that the base and shoe are permanently coupled together with the spring ll fcompressed between, them, with the shoe yieldably projected from the base to a limit fixed by the shape of the opening l1. s

The shape of the opening ll'is'iniportant. As shown in the drawing, each opening is comparatively large and is approximately semi-eircular in outline, with the diaineteror straight side of the semi-circle lying in the plane'ef the bottom 1 of the base and with the arcuate edge of the opening curving but fairly close to the free'or outer edge of the side wall 8. v v v This relationship is such that the coupling of the base and shoe is loose, so that the shoe is free to move inward y into the base channel,

against the expansive force of .thefsprin'g lll pjand is free to slide lengthwise 0f the base to a limited extent as the pin l 6 follows the curvature or the openings I 1 upon inward movement'of the shoe. The movement of the shoe can thus be made a compound one, having inward and lengthwise components.

With the device mounted between the 'sa'shand frame members, being 'afflxe'd permanentlyto one of these members, the shoe is biased outwardly from the base so that its face l3 makes good frictional engagement with one of the members I or 2. v The value 6rv degree of this frictional engag ment isinade siifiicient, by theielative propcr't ens of the parts, t hold thesash in any vertically adjusted position to which it may be moved in the frame. Thus the sash is securely held against any tendency to fall by virtue of its weight or by any accidental forces that may be imposed on it. s s i This frictionalholding force mustof course be overcome when the sash is to 'bemoved to 'a new vertically adjusted position. An important feature of the invention consists in so forming the coupling connection of the base and shoe that the shoe will be automatically displaced, preferably by a camming action, into a retracted position in the base whenever sliding movement of the sash to a new position is begun. This camming action will now be explained;

In any adjusted position of the sash relative to th'efram'e, the ends of the pin IE will automatically seat themselves at the high point of each of the openings H, i. e., at the point of greatest distanee from the plane of the bottom 1 of the base. When the sash is pulled or pushed up or down, the shoe l2 tends to remain immovable in the frame runway, but after sliding movement of thesash has progressed beyond a very small distance, the backwardly curving edge of the opening I 1 acts against the pin and tends to move it inwardly toward the bottom 1 of the base. This of course has the effect of .retracting the whele shoe intofthe ase "and withdrawing the friction face 13 from that surface of the frame runway "against which it is pressed by the spring H. The extent of this movement is sufiicient'to release or relieve the pressure of the shoe on "the runway surface, so that the sash will slide easily in "an up or down easements may be desired. Thus it is not necessary in making 'such' movements 10f the sash to overcome the full frictional force by which the shoe'normally holds the sash in any adjustedposition. When the sashgis hrought t'o rest m shes rocks relatively to the base and the pin seats itselfagain in the high points of the openings 17, thus exerting strong holding frictionon the channel and the sash at its new session. v v

It will be appreciated that the device is small,

' inexpensive, thoroughly durable, and "canfeasily be mounted in co'mpletel'y hidden position in "either the frame member or, as is preferred, in

the sash member, and that it provides ,a superior substitute for a counterweight installation with- 'outrequi'ring any great amount of 'force or any umatj nmg or "other manipulation when -the "window 'sash is to be moved to somenew position. Thus the objects and purposes of the invention are accomplished. l l' ma h 1. Ade Vice 1201' holding aiieltically sliding Window sash member in predetermined adjusted positions relatively to a fixed window frame meinb'er comprising a shoe for engaging frictionally with one of the members whenthe sash member slides in the frame member, projections laterally extending from the shoe, an elongated channelshaped base adapted to be mounted lengthwise in the other member with its 'bottom'afiixed thereto and having'anopening in each of its side walls receiving one of said projections, each opening being 'defined b y a marg'mh tam edge having at its midpoint a portion .sp'ace'd farthest rom said bottom and havin portions diverging therefrem upwardly anddownwardly toward the ends of the channel and inwardly toward the bottom. thereof so that the shoe isheld captive on the ba'se with freedom for limited movement tbwaird and away from said bottom and lengthwise thereof, and a spring mounted in compressionjd'irectly between the bottom and the shoe for urging the shoe yieldably outwardly from the bottom, whereby said cam edge cooperates with said projection's for forcing the shoe inwardly against the tension of, said spring and towardthe basebettom when the shoe is moved lengthwise relatively to the base in response to movement of the sash member either upwardly or downwardly in the frame member.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which said projections are the ends of a pin extending laterally through the shoe and into the openings in the side Walls of the base.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the spring is a leaf spring reacting directly between the shoe and base elements of the device with a fiat central portion engaging one of said elements and a pair of upturned end portions engaging the other.

4. A device as claimedin claim 1 in which said projections are the ends of a pin extending laterally through the shoe and into the openings in the side walls of the base and in which the spring is a leaf spring reacting directly between the shoe and base elements of the device with a flat central portion engaging one of said elements and a pair of upturned end portions engaging the other.

5. A device as claimed in claim' 1 in which each t it and is of substantially semicircular shape with the mid-point on its arc farthest from the base bottom.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which each of the openings is relatively large and of substantially semi-circular shape with the mid-point on its arc farthest from the base bottom and in which said projections are the ends of a pin of much smaller diameter than said openings which The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

of the openings is large relatively to the cross sectional area of the projection which is received in UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 822,934 Evans June 12, 1906 892,970 Bagby July '7, 1908 1,103,214 Mattern et a1 July 14, 1914 2,372,634 Breitenbach et al. Mar. 27, 1945 

